Luxe Cruises Grow A Lot More Affordable

Unlike the giant cruise lines that charge a cutrate fare upfront but thennickel and dime you to death once you're onboard, Seabourn isall-inclusive (there's an open bar, for instance, and a no-tippingpolicy), and the service level is exceptionally high, so this appearsto be a remarkable value.

Of course, appearances can be very deceivingwhere cruise "bargains" are concerned, so I just called my cruise-dealsounding board, Mary Jean Tully of The Cruise Professionals, a savvy travel agent who has her fingertips on the best values in luxurycruising. She called this Seabourn deal a 9 out of 10 and had only onecaveat: If you've sailed on Seabourn before, you can't combine these savings withthe discount you get as a past passenger. If you've never sailed on Seabourn, however, go for it . . . unless you want to hold out for deals that may be yet to come.